Fathers' Secrets
by Sirius K
Summary: Albus is angry that his family has been keeping things from him. Drabble/Character Study


Author's Note: A character study/back story drabble about Albus and Scorpius in their first year. It's in the same universe as my last Harry Potter fanfiction and takes place close to "Why does it rain?" but I can't decide if it's before or after. I feel a storm brewing in the Harry Potter fanfiction force. Why am I writing this? In any case, I hope you enjoy.

Content: Totally innocent.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

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As was usual for a Saturday morning in the middle of October, the Library was void of any students worrying about school work, if not nearly void of human life completely. Madam Pince, the far too elderly to still be working librarian, sat prickly and alert as always at her desk, a fifth year Hufflepuff girl was taking a nap in a warm patch of sunlight by the window, and first year Albus Severus Potter was crouched down between two narrow book shelves, flipping through books with a sour look on his face.

On the floor around him were several more books in various states of openness which he'd torn through in a much angrier fashion half an hour ago, but having worked off much of the excess fire inside reading through them, he'd settled into a state of annoyance.

How could they have lied to him?

Albus made it to the last page of the book and set it aside. It ended in the early 1900's. No use to him there. He selected another, newer looking tome from the shelf.

"What are you doing?"

Albus glanced up at the blonde fellow Slytherin first year for less than half a second before returning to the book.

"Studying."

"No you're not."

Albus made a face. Okay, so he was a terrible liar, but he was still peeved.

"I'm trying to figure out what apparently everyone else in the world already knows about me."

Scorpius Malfoy crouched down next to his friend and studied him. Albus ignored him and fanned through the pages, aiming for the back end.

"Are you talking about that chocolate frog card you saw of your dad?" Scorpius asked.

"Obviously." Albus slammed the book shut before he reached his destination and glared at the floor. "Everyone has been laughing at me and talking about me behind my back since I came here, I'm sure of it. I thought it was weird how so many people were talking to me. My dad's the only reason. Just because of a dumb chocolate frog card. Just because he's famous. And nobody ever told me. My family could have warned me. James should have said something at least; they did the same thing to him!"

"Al…"

"You could have warned me," Albus said glumly, too betrayed to be angry about it. Scorpius sat down properly and crossed his legs. Albus turned his head away, but he knew Scoripus was staring at him the way he always did.

"I thought you knew and just didn't care," the blonde said. "I liked that you were normal and didn't let fame go to your head. That's what it looked like to me."

Albus picked at the binding that was unraveling at the corner of the book.

"My dad's always telling me about how great our family is, and how important I am."

"See? You knew, and you didn't let it get to you! Why wouldn't my parents trust me like yours?"

Scorpius shrugged. Albus set the book down and puffed out his cheeks. Scorpius was lucky the way he was raised. Nobody kept stupid secrets like that from him.\

They were silent for a long moment, the only sound being the light snoring from the Hufflepuff by the window.

"I bet," Scorpius started slowly, "That your dad plays Quiddich with you."

Albus looked up. "Yeah, so?"

"I bet he plays lots of things with you, and listens when you talk, and helps you hide things that you've done wrong from your mum. And I bet your mum cooks you dinner, and lets you plays with the other kids, helps you hide things that you've done wrong from your dad."

"It just proves they're used to lying and hiding things from other people."

Scorpius sighed.

"I don't think so. I think you're lucky. I think it would be nice to have parents who tell those kinds of lies."

Albus made a face. Scorpius wanted to be fed lies? Albus thought he would never understand what was going on in his friend's head, but whatever it was, he looked awfully sad. Albus stood up and brushed off his robes.

"Come on, let's go. I think they're going to start serving lunch soon." He held out his hand and pulled Scorpius up. The blonde didn't bother fixing his own robes. His eyes were on his hand held in Ablus's, but it was like he was looking at something completely different and not even there.

"I think my father tells me a lot of lies," Scorpius said. "I think he's got a lot of secrets."

Albus tugged on his friend's hand and led him out of the library before he could continue his thoughts.

"Well come on already. It's no use worrying about whatever secrets our dads are keeping."

Scorpius looked at him as he allowed himself to be pulled along. "Do you think so?"

_Who knows?_ Albus thought. _Seems like Dad has a lot of secrets._

おわり (The End)


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